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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24447130">Among the Horses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Osaka_Prince_Yuta/pseuds/Osaka_Prince_Yuta'>Osaka_Prince_Yuta</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Country &amp; Western, Cowboy Jaehyun, Discipline, F/M, Farm House, Horses, Mondern, Proper ladies, ranch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:06:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24447130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Osaka_Prince_Yuta/pseuds/Osaka_Prince_Yuta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tori finds herself at her aunts ranch house in the summer where she meets a handsome stable boy by the name of Jaehyun. Through countless outings and sneaking around, the two fall in love and share something between them that Tori's aunt would never approve of.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Among the Horses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A white, dirty pick-up truck pulled off the main road and onto a long, winding dirt road, leading them closer to a grand house that Tori Sellers had only been to a few times in her life. The place she’d be living for the next year or two. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The truck bumped along the loose gravel and potholes, sending her bouncing on the very worn cloth of the cab, her eyes glancing worriedly to the tan male beside her, one of his hands planted firmly on the hard steering wheel, the other loosely placed on the stick shifter in the center of the bench. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure the tires won’t… fall off?” her voice was thick and laiden with worry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced over at her, warm brown eyes gazing intensely in her blue ones, the browns flecked with curiosity and amusement. A blush crept onto her cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t been out here in awhile? Have you miss?” he asked, tone filled with friendly amusement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She awkwardly scratched at her nose, a bit of a nervous habit she’d collected over the years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. My parents never had the money to travel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice was small, etched in nervousness and anxiety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cast her a gentle smile as he pulled the truck around a sharp curve in the road, and there it was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The house was huge, at least three stories high and stretched across the land it was perched upon. The foundation red brick that looked freshly cleaned (it probably had been), a contrast to the pearly white of the rest of the structure. The curves and contours of the slightly oddly shaped house made it more enchanting and nerve-wracking, especially as they grew closer, the tires hitting the smooth cement before her driver moved the shifter and parked the truck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Head on in, miss, I’ll get your bags.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His accent was a combination of Asian mixed with southern, an odd combination that somehow seemed so delicately smooth and perfect, especially the way he drawled over the “r’s”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d been stuck in her thoughts, eyes wide as she eyed the prospects of her new home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, yes, thank you,” she said softly, moving to get out, the door creaking as it was opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her black, falling apart sneakers hit the tan pavement of the driveway, the hooks of her overalls rattling loosely against her torso as the accommodated her movements, the loose denim legs falling just above her boney knees as she pushed the dingy door closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The male she’d ridden with, Jaehyun, he said his name was, pulled the latch of the bed door and reached up to grab her mismatched luggage, his sturdy frame pressing into the hot metal of the truck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you need some help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice was small, mixed with worry and hesitation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d do about anything to prolong the inevitable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s quite alright miss,” he began. “You should head on inside. The heat is a harsh place for a lady,” he spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A light pink dusted her cheeks but she didn’t reply, instead, slowly moving toward the brick steps that would lead to the entrance of the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marion Sellers was a strict lady. She liked things a certain way and she got them. She didn’t tolerate bad behavior or disobedience. She had a strong dislike for people that got in her way. Thus, she had never been married. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lived alone, if you count alone as having two live in maids, a chef, and a stable hand that slept in the barn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marion was Tori’s aunt. Her mother’s elder sister that had alienated her sister when she’d married a man of lower class. And now, that man had a wife and three kids to care for, spending his days fixing the cars of those more fortunate than him, hoping to make a buck for his family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s why Tori was here. A young girl, coming of age to be married off and starting a family of her very own. Her family couldn’t support her any longer, and as she prepared to move away in hopes of finding some sort of job or a life, her aunt had hastlessly offered to take her in. Her mother had all too happily obliged, hoping her only and eldest daughter would learn a thing or two from the elder woman, maybe turn her into the lady her mother and father had tried for years to make her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stainless white door slowly opened and an older woman stood in the frame. She was clearly in her 50s, stress lines drawn thickly in her forehead, wrinkles in the corners of her dull gray eyes, deep lines around her nose and mouth, her neck sagging just a little beneath her sharp jaw. She was a small lady. On first glance one may have a hard time understanding what makes her so fierce. She was small in stature, small in size and in frame, but she had the tongue of a snake, the heart of a lioness, and the skill of a chimp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tori! You’re finally here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori stood a good few inches taller than the woman, but that made her more nervous in anything. She made her way up the steps and, as she reached the woman in the door, she was promptly pulled into a proper hug that severely lacked warmth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you got on a plane and sat amongst all those people in that ghastly attire. You must change at once!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman’s voice was so shrill it could pierce glass, but Tori held back the flinch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Martha!” the same voice called into the house as she pulled Tori in, shutting the door and encompassing them in the cool air conditioning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A larger lady appeared, dressed in stained blue jeans and an ugly yellow shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please show my niece to her room and help her change into something more… feminine and lady-like,” her aunt’s voice commanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you’re finished dear, have Martha show you to my study.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no endearing term in the word “dear.” Simply an icy addition to a perfectly manicured sentence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched her aunts receding form, pencil skirt tight on her legs, black heels sharply hitting the hardwood intimidatingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come with me, dear. Let’s get you changed,” the larger lady spoke softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was older, maybe 60 or so, her skin dark tan, although Tori couldn’t tell if it was the sun or her natural skin pigmentation. Her voice was grainy, but soft and endearing. Motherly she’d dare say. And Tori thought that this woman may actually make living here bearable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She followed the lady up the grand staircase, up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway until they reached the end. The lady pushed open the thick white door and stepped inside, Tori following her closely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside, the room was surprisingly rustic. A simple full sized bed with an obviously homemade comforter thrown across in. A light gray plush carpet beside the bed. The hardwood floors were surprisingly and delightfully bare. One large section of the wall was a large bay window that stretched from the ceiling to the plush gray cushion of the bench. There were a few flower paintings and other pointless nicknacks scattered on obsolete surfaces around the room, but she paid no mind to them as her attention was drawn to the lady opening the large, mahogany grand dresser and plucking out two cloths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She unfolded both neatly, placing them both on the bed and Tori sighed. The skirt was long and pleated, patterns of red and white stretched in annoyingly kaleidoscope arrangements across the nearly pointless garment and the white shirt appeared to be partly transparent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead and get changed dear, I’ll help you when you finish,” she said kindly and turned her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori waited for her to leave the room but it was apparent she had no intention to. Awkwardly, she began unhooking the straps of her overalls, letting the fabric clang to the floor. She blushed, feeling all too exposed before sliding into the skirt, the itchy elastic hanging off her hips uncomfortably. She pulled her stained blue shirt off, swapping it for the crisp white one that she feared she’d stain in the next few moments. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lady turned around, her wide hips bumping into the dresser slightly. The dresser was sturdy enough not to jostle, but it was obvious the corner was sharp and painful. Tori almost felt bad at the way the lady’s face winced, but it was quickly pushed away as calloused hands began gripping the pale skin of her arms, squeezing along the skin up her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tsked and turned around, rummaging through the dresser once again, only to turn around with a black, light cardigan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori gawked. Why on earth would she wear that atrocious thing in this weather? It was the middle of August! Not December!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. But if your aunt were to see your arms, she’d have a fit. She probably still will,” she said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori sighed. Her aunt hadn’t changed one bit. Tori’s skin was fragile. The tops of her forearms lightly tanned, a pigment passed on from her father. The rest of her arms and body entirely was as pale as the moon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lady’s should be gorgeously sunkissed to be beautiful and to be taken seriously. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>With a huff, she put on the long black sleeves, the intricately designed cotton draping over her shoulders like cotton. But that didn’t mean it was any more comfortable. She could already feel the added heat seeping onto her skin. She’d be sweaty and uncomfortable soon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now let’s do something about your feet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori looked down, her worn socks had holes all through them, mud permanently stained to the sweaty white fabric. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bustling from the room, Tori was left stunned in the wake of the surprisingly fast woman, watching her round the corner and disappear down the hall to fetch something to apparently “fix her feet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori thought she’d do something to speed along the process. The more time they spent getting her dressed in these ridiculous clothes, the less time she had to explore the outside world. She made her way to the bay window, taking a seat on the plush cushion that accommodate her nicely. She pressed her back against the edge of the wall and turned her gaze to the picturesque green world filled with surprisingly plush looking grass, dips and hills along the valley, and the tops of trees further off in the distance. All this land was hers for the roaming. She couldn’t wait to get out those doors and go exploring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of water sloshing in a pot brought her attention back from the window, glancing curiously as the large lady placed the pot down in front of the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put your feet in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori didn’t argue. She was hesitant, but thought better than to argue and have her aunt boil her alive in this pot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as her dingy, dirty, mud pasted feet hit the water, she hissed. The temperature felt that it could boil the skin right off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I know it’s hot, but your aunt is expecting you down soon and I have to do this as quickly as possible,” the lady said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grabbing Tori’s left foot, she picked the appendage up from the water along with a suds coated dish sponge and began mercilessly scrubbing away at the tender flesh. Tori whined and howled, tears pricking to her eyes as her skin was scrubbed and abused by the harsh bristles of the brush. She attempted to yank her foot away, but the tight grip on her ankle prevented much movement. She was stuck suffering as the skin became reddened from the irritation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as the painful experience came to a close, Tori’s now pink feet were dried with a towel before being slid into a pair of eccentricity beaded, golden strapped sandals that accentuated the rest of the over-the-top outfit nicely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You seem presentable enough now, although I’m sure the mistress of the house would have a few unkind things to say about your wild mane.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried not to take offense. She liked her hair. It was an untamed auburn that curved wildly carefree, blowing in the breeze that picked up the thick tufts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for your help ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She bowed at the waist, a kind smile on her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need for the ma’am dear. Call me Martha, or Mrs. Rivera if you must.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with no more haste, Martha Rivera led Tori back down the grand staircase to the bottom floor, the tight flats biting at her heel and ankle with every step she took, fighting off the winces that followed. The pair rounded a few sharp corners, venturing into a large sitting room with an extravagant flat screen high on the wall, couches that looked brand new. Through a dining room, table decorated with a sequined bronze cloth and the finest China she’d ever seen, although that wasn’t really a stretch. Finally, they made it to a large oak door, cracked just enough that Tori could see her aunt’s silhouette sitting behind an elegant red desk, glasses perched on her nose, pen in hand, eyes married to the computer screen. Mrs. Rivera left her by the door, and Tori almost spun on her heel and walked away. But of course, that would be too easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in child. Stop standing in the doorway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her blood froze in her veins. She pushed the door open and stolled in, tripping over the lion skin rug, stumbling a bit before catching her balance. Harsh wisps of breath rush past her aunts lips and the chair creaked as the light weight lifted from the chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori straightened her back, staring fearfully into the cold gray eyes that trailed over her face and down her clothes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman began moving slowly around her, manicured nails and boney fingers tracing over the outline of her clothes and jaw, running through her wild mane and down her hands, inspecting her bitten off nails. As she walked, she muttered things like “hair won’t do” and horrible posture” before she stood back in front of the girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You simply won’t do,” she said sternly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words hit hard. She may have been expecting something like this, but it didn’t make the words hurt any less.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look like you’ve been sleeping with the horses. Your nails are pitiful. Your skin is far too pale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gripped Tori’s jaw, tilting her head up harshly to expose her still slightly chubby neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you ride a horse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The question was sudden and it caught her off guard, but she answered as quick as her brain would allow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no. I’ve never ridden before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman sighed loudly, hot puffs of air pouring out of her flared nostrils. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’ll have to change. Starting tomorrow, you will be taking riding lessons from the stable boy. Every lady should have the basic skills of riding,” her tone was cold and brisk as she looked away and perched back at her desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re dismissed. Dinner is at 6. Don’t be late. You may roam the grounds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a wave of her hand, she dismissed her niece and immediately went back to work, not bating another eyelash as the girl fled hastlessly from the room, her eyes welling with tears as stress and fear washed over her, although more relieved that it was over and she could finally do something for herself. But she’d start by ditching these God forsaken shoes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made her way around the back door of the house, more by pure necessity thnt memory, simply logically thinking the best way around in the expansive flooring. When she made it, a smile broke across her face as she unfastened the painful shoes, kicking them off in a sloppy jumble by the door before opening the heavy door, the heat of the afternoon hitting her face, not that she minded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she stepped out, bare feeting meeting hot cement, she stripped the cardigan from her shoulder, draping it over a random, sun baked chair. She tore off through the grass, laughing giddily, breeze blowing wisps of her hair, skirt fluttering delicately over her skin. It would be difficult to do anything in the blasted thing, but she wouldn’t give herself enough time to strip down into something better, opting to enjoy the last of the day while she could. And she’d start in the bright red barn her eyes immediately fell on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Making her way through the soft grass that squished under the weight of her feet, she strolled into the half open barn, the soft snorts of animals bringing a smile to her lips. Just because she can’t ride, doesn’t mean she didn’t love the animals. She loved horses especially. They were such beautiful and majestic creatures. She’d always wanted a horse, but her family had never been able to afford one. She’d always wanted to ride, and now she could, although she didn’t understand why it was so important to her aunt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cool concrete felt rough beneath her feet, stray straws of hay littering the floor. It could have been a picture straight out of one of the Country Living magazines she’d kept hidden away at her home in North Carolina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first horse she came upon was a tall brown animal, head hung over the stall door, ears perked to attention, eyes trained on the new invader or the barnhouse. He snorted at her and his hoof hit the barn door lightly in an attempt at getting closer. Tori stepped closer, slowly offering her hand out, letting the animal sniff at her hand searchingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s looking for some sugar cubes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice came out of nowhere, interrupting her serenity, a yelp leaving her lips as her whole body jolted in the sudden fright. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned her head to the barn door where her driver was standing, taunt arms crossed over a broad chest, veiled from prying eyes by a lightweight flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. His long legs were clad in dusty denim, mud and hay from his knees to the tops of the worn work boots. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. I just like horses-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you thought you’d come visit them?” he finished her sentence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A blush rose to her cheeks, her eyes turning back to study the fading paint on the stall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heavy footsteps hit the floor as the male moved closer until he was close enough to touch. His large, rough hand gripped her wrist, bringing it up toward him. Tori was blushing just a bit brighter, riddled with confusion and curiosity until three small blocks were placed in her palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold your palm out to him and don’t jerk away,” he spoke calmly, slowly urging her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, having some sort of unkempt trust in his words as she extended her arm, palm flat, cubed sugar offered to the horse, who greedily munched them right out of her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His name’s Full Sun. He’s a bit of a character.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori nodded, drawing her now horse slobbered hand away, opting to stroke the animals fur from his nose to between his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s an interesting name,” she said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hummed behind her and she heard his boots hitting the concrete as he moved away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you like animals?” he asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She spun around, eyes wide and shining. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes! I love them! Sometimes I prefer animals over humans!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His smile was gentle as he surveyed her physique, a dusty pink tinting his cheeks, although she thought nothing of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, I want to show you something,”he said, walking past her to the opposite exit of the barn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She followed close behind, curious as to where he was taking her. Her feet fell back onto the grass, the long blades sliding between her toes as she followed in his wake. As they walked, a white picket fence came into view, not far from the barn, but oddly well hidden beneath the crest of a hill rolling through the land. Once they reached the fence, his hands curled around the boards, hoisting himself up, foot balanced on the bottom board as he climbed up, throwing a leg over one side, then the other, and jumping down. She stared at him in awestruck confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Climb over, I’ll catch you on this side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know why she blindly trusted him. She didn’t know him from a random stranger in the town, but she complied, placing her foot onto the same board he had, pulling herself up and swinging a leg over, then another. The skirt snagged in the boards a few times, one of her feet nearly slipping off the boards as she attempted to keep it pushed down. This proved to be more of a challenge as she balanced on her heels, hands clutching the top piece of wood as she contemplated how to get down now. That is, until his arms outstretched, slightly bent at the elbow, fingers parted, palms facing one another, and she knew what he wanted her to do. She pushed off with her left foot, hands releasing her grip on the fence, letting herself drop, eyes squeezing in slight fear that she’d soon flop hard against the green earth. But when strong hands caught her waist, arms drawing her in, broad chest breaking her fall, she braced herself against it, feet carefully being lowered until they pressed back into the earth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, that wasn’t so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His teasing tone had her pulling away, glaring playfully at him before turning away and pretending to walk away, leaving him in her path. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least, until she heard a rustling in the long grass inside the fence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeaked as it got closer taking a step back as her harsh gaze followed the rustling of the grass, positive a snake would wrap itself around her leg as it dug its venomous fangs into her soft flesh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, she was in for quite a shock when the small head of a brown and white calf popped up from the grass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she was sinking to her knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The calf moved toward her lowered body, sniffing at her arms until she reached out to run a hand down it’s small head and back, cooing quietly, eyes brimming with unfiltered delight as she wrapped her arms around the baby, stroking the fur of its back lovingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Renjun. He’s my little cousin's calf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tori didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Her cooes of joy were enough to show every emotion she was currently feeling. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you enjoyed! There will be more to come! </p><p>The name may change, and if it does, I will notate it so you don't lose it if you're following!~</p></blockquote></div></div>
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